


Rolling Thunder

by sonicsora



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Usagi Yojimbo
Genre: 2003 turtles are all adults fyi, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, M/M, Married Couple, Mild Blood, Post-Canon, Usagi and Leonardo are married
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-06-23 06:39:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15600516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonicsora/pseuds/sonicsora
Summary: In haste to get to New York away from a battle waging around them, Usagi and Leonardo end up in a very different version New York than they intended to be.They meet a much younger Hamato clan, a much different Hamato clan.





	1. Chase you by the pale moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> reading most of Usagi Yojimbo in a week and rewatching some 2003 era TMNT lead to this fic finally getting off the ground. Be it with me taking liberties with the canons involved. 
> 
> I'm not gonna rewrite whole episodes or anything like that. I just want to play around with elements I liked from the 2003 era TMNT and the kinda meh 2012 era of TMNT. 
> 
> This is set very early on in TMNT 2012 era. Waaay before it got kinda grimdark. Whilst the 2003 is set near the end, but before Fast Forward or Back To The Sewers. I'm working of off memory here so pardon any blips that come up. Like I said Imma be just playing around. This is long after canon events of 2003, where the turtles are actual adults. They've all had the chance to actually grow up and have sort of productive lives.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The village is burning.
> 
> The village is burning and there is nothing they can do now. An ominous presence looms, consuming everything around them. The clear sky swirls with a storm to come, heavy clouds blotting out even the stars.

A true warrior knows when to retreat from battle. 

Well, a ninja knows how to retreat with little hesitation. A ninja knows how to disappear, losing ground only to regain it at the last moment. A ninja can appear to be on their back foot only to regain an advantage once again. 

A samurai is loathed to retreat. A samurai will battle until they cannot battle any longer. Honor is not flexible, lost ground is not acceptable. Your life and honor were tied always. 

Leonardo knows this fairly well, living with a samurai for the past five years has given him a clear enough idea of when his spouse will refuse to leave. He can see it in the edge of Usagi’s shoulders, the tightness of his jaw and tightened grip on the handle of his wakizashi. They’ve been fighting most of the night and the toll has weighed heavily on both of them. Their blades had cut through many with very little reprieve from body to body. 

“Usagi.” His voice is tired, worn down. That much catches the samurai’s attention. They are hidden for now in back alleyway. “We need to leave.” The samurai is on the edge of arguing when the bundle held against Leonardo’s plastron whimpers. The shifting bundle grabs a fistful of the turtle’s juban. 

The village is burning.

The village is burning and there is nothing they can do now. An ominous presence looms, consuming everything around them. The clear sky swirls with a storm to come, heavy clouds blotting out even the stars. 

The best the two warriors have done is kill some of those who started the blaze.

Usagi sheaths his wakizashi reluctantly, “We- we have to leave.” He agrees, reluctance heavy in his words. “We will come back.” 

“We will.” Leonardo agrees readily, shifting the infant in his arms carefully. “We… we need to make sure she’s safe, Usagi.” The ninja offers their daughter out to Usagi, “Carry her. I can protect us.” 

The samurai nods wordlessly, taking the child gently into his arms. He tucks the girl into his kimono, against his chest. His natural warmth settles her. “Where are we going?” 

“New York.” Leonardo motions for his husband to follow him, rising slowly from his crouch to lead them through the shadows cast by the fire. The chaos provides cover, samurai and ninja do not hesitate as they navigate through the shadows into the woods behind the village. Usagi couldn't sneak to save his life but kept up with Leonardo regardless. He was quick on his feet, red eyes searching their surroundings as Leonardo keeps a hand settles at the hilt of his blade. 

The woods are dead silent, a contrast to the usual animal life lurking about. Every step sounds thunderous in Leonardo's ears and he hates it, but he needs to keep moving.

They cross into the woods in time to hear the crack of thunder and laughter that sends a chill through Usagi’s spine. Leonardo tugs on the rabbit’s sleeve to grab his attention. Both can feel the air growing colder by the moment. 

“Move.” He states sharply in English to hold the rabbit’s attention, “Keep moving.” 

“Yes, yes.” Usagi’s English is wobbly from disuse but he’s quick to reply, quick to keep moving with Leonardo deeper into the woods, thicket of trees and heavy greenery give them some advantage. Leo feels exposed on the ground but knows traveling in the treetops is out of the question with Usagi at his heels. Much less with their daughter on hand. 

“Stay sharp.” Usagi murmurs lowly, carefully bouncing the bundle in his grasp. Leonardo nods, wordlessly trying to smooth over any worries of what else the night holds. 

Leonardo can’t find a wall, but he writes the symbols out on the ground in front of a puddle, hands shaking all the while. Adreliane is still burning through him at this point. Nearly seeing his spouse and child cut down by that _monster_ leaves a sick feeling in Leonardo’s gut. 

The turtle pauses his writing, listening to the night. His stillness brings stillness in the ronin as well. The two meet eyes for just a moment before Usagi’s wakizashi is drawn in a flash cutting through the air pinning their pursuer against the nearest tree trunk. Ninja stars thunk against another trunk pinning another in place. 

What should have been killing blows do nothing to stop the thrashing creatures, creatures who were once villagers. People they knew, people they cared for. Their eyes are white, empty of life, of color. Their mouths have foamed over with a disgusting slime. 

“Leo-“ 

“I know.” The turtle hisses, fumbling to grab the chalk, in his haste to write once again he smudges a few symbols in the process. His already shaky handwriting doesn’t aid in matters either. “I know, just- hold them off.” Their daughter is handed back to Leonardo, the turtle tucks her close against his plastron, tightening his juban to hold her closely as he can with his hands busy. He doesn’t want to place her on the ground or drop her. The night is already chaotic as it is. 

He swears lowly in English but pushes onwards ignoring the smudges to try and save some time. Normally he’d be quick to correct the mistake, but now isn’t the time to languish on the written runes. He stashes the chalk into the sleeve of his juban, clasping his hands together chanting. 

The cries of their daughter nearly throw Leonardo off, but he persists causing the puddle before them to rise forming a doorway. The bushes rustle more violently as more of the fallen lurch forward, disfigured from cuts, from fire, from touch of a demon. 

“Usagi!”

“Go, go!” Usagi motions his husband to go, katana in hand as he moves, eyes sweeping at the people, the husks coming towards them. His wakizashi is still holding a man to a tree at this point. The samurai swears lowly to himself, clearly tempted to grab it and keep fighting. Leo can read as much in his spouse's behavior. 

“Do not do the heroic thing and get your furry butt over here.” Leo hisses lowly, already up on his feet, a katana drawn with one hand the other holding their daughter against his plastron. Usagi cuts another down and another before he finally retreats to Leonardo, both men stumble through the portal. 

The babe against Leonardo’s plastron cries and cries until it is suddenly silenced by the portal closing behind the men. 

Only the sounds of fire raging and moans of death hang in the air. The forest is soon swarmed with the lurching bodies lifted from death. Their leader a wolf cloaked in black follows behind. 

The village is burning. 

The village is burning, and there is nothing they can do.


	2. Into the water, let it pull him under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The night was still young and from the sounds of it, the party was yet to wind down within the house. The thought brought an amused smile to Tomoe’s lips. Who knew ninjas, samurai and bounty hunters could mingle like this?_
> 
> _”Will you miss wandering? I never took you as one to settle down, Usagi.” Slipped from her lips before she could catch it. Tomoe snapped her mouth shut awkwardly, half tempted to take the words back before the rabbit smiled at her._

The sky breaks open with rain, fire extinguished by the rush of water pouring down on what is left of the husks that could once be called homes. It does little to quiet the thunder booming, the storm only intensifying as it swirled overhead. 

The rain has come too late, not a relief as much as it was sweeping away the damage left upon the remainder of the village. The pounding rain makes the buildings barely standing collapse in on themselves. Fields are bombarded with the rain, animals run freely through the bloodied dirt paths freed from where they were kept. Makeshift weaponry made of farming equipment lay broken in pieces in growing puddles.

A wolf with a spear stands in the middle of the village, drifting through puddles, fallen bodies, and debris. Villagers still standing at attention crumple onto the ground as he passes. Groans, moans and the last cries escape the dead. Body after body hit the dirt, broken and finally truly dead. Freed. 

Jei doesn’t even offer them a glance as he walks, simply walking forward deeper into the village. His walk is almost casual, even with the rain pouring over the landscape.

Two villagers twisted by his possession thrash against what weaponry holds them to tree trunks. The wolf stops in front of them, causing the bodies to slacken and droop into death. 

“ ** _That Ronin still lives_**.” He muttered lowly to himself, pulling the wakizashi from the tree. The body of a villager, a farmer slumped into the dirt, expression frozen into one of pure terror. 

The wolf holds the blade aloft, wordlessly watching the flashes of thunder reflect against the bloodied blade.

\---

Ash carries in the wind once the storm has passed, the Geishu province learns of the fire within the next few days. A disaster of that size is not something that can remain unknown for long, even with the remoteness of the village. It simply took a messenger running in to bring a missive from the chief of the next village to unveil the destruction. Word traveled back to the Geishu’s lord.

“By the gods, what happened here?” A samurai reared his horse back, trying to avoid treading upon bodies rotting on the dirt roads. Carrion crows and tokage lizards were picking at what they could. The group of six samurai hesitated with their mounts by the village’s entrance. 

“A massacre that’s what happened.” The second samurai breathed out, gaze drifting across, “Who could have done this?” 

“Should we bother looking for any survivors?” The youngest of the men amongst them questioned uncertainly. 

“Yes.” Tomoe Ame stated cooly, expression sharp and angry as she carefully dismounted from her steed. Her tone was enough to sober the group of retainers. She eyed the burnt remains of a nearby shop, hand settling her blade. “A good friend of our Lord’s lives in this village. A man whose saved our lord’s life many times.” More than a few who knew Usagi looked equally as solemn. 

“Spread out and search for any survivors or signs of who could have done this.” She stated firmly, the gathered samurai did not hesitate to go on foot or by horseback to pick through the village. Tomoe stuck to the market area, trying to find anything still standing. Buildings had collapsed in on themselves, stalls trodden into mud, as Tomoe approached she winced openly at the sight of what was a dead family huddled together under an awning of what was once a fish stall. The more she walks, the worse it really turns out to be. 

Tomoe wanted to remember this town as a thriving lively village, not the empty husk it now stood as. She wanted to remember Usagi settling here, becoming an occasional retainer of Lord Noriyuki. The wandering samurai had finally settled with a partner. A ninja of all things, but somehow Tomoe was not surprised. Usagi was a man with many odd friends. She had her own regrets, but that was her karma wasn’t it?

Thinking of the house warming party to celebrate the Usagi’s home pushed the samurai in the direction of it. An idle walk turning into a run after a short while. Her feet fly in the direction of Usagi’s home, wanting to see it standing the way she last saw it. 

_The night air was brisk, only combated by the warmth of the open shoji doors leading to the porch the two samurai were seated upon. They shared a mutual comfortable silence, sipping sake._

_The night was still young and from the sounds of it, the party was yet to wind down within the house. The thought brought an amused smile to Tomoe’s lips. Who knew ninjas, samurai and bounty hunters could mingle like this?_

_”Will you miss wandering? I never took you as one to settle down, Usagi.” Slipped from her lips before she could catch it. Tomoe snapped her mouth shut awkwardly, half tempted to take the words back before the rabbit smiled at her._

_“Neither did I.” He glanced back at the party within the house, red eyes landing on one person in particular lingering before he continues. “I will miss it, some aspects, but not as much as I missed my friends, you, or how much I would miss Leonardo.”_

_He sips at his sake for a long moment turning his words over in his head. “Leonardo was willing to wander with me. I am more than willing to make a home with him.”_

_“Then, welcome home, Usagi.” She touched his shoulder gently, the two share a smile before the moment was interrupted by one of Leonardo’s brothers dragging them back inside. Tomoe finds herself laughing as she’s pulled into a strange dance with a turtle clad in an orange mask._

“Lady Tomoe! Lady Tomoe! We’ve caught a culprit at Miyamoto-san’s home!” One of her samurai calls for her, only sending the woman into a quicker pace. The mud slows her down, but not for long as she breaks through the burnt treeline to the house. 

" _You_!"

\---

For all the practiced grace and skill that comes with a life time of ninjutsu, Leonardo still trips over the dragging hem of his juban. If not for Usagi, he and their daughter would have likely fallen. The samurai steadies his spouse gently, resting a hand against Leonardo’s shoulder. 

“Steady, steady.” His Japanese is smooth, comforting, enough to bring Leonardo back down to the present. “Let me take Hiroko.” 

“You were fighting longer than I was-“ Leonardo starts to protest before the samurai shakes his head holding a hand up to settle Leonardo's protests. “This is not a competition, beloved.” 

The turtle exhales slowly at that, relenting as he carefully pulls the crying Hiroko from his ruined juban to hand her to Usagi. The samurai steadily bounces the infant in his grasp after accepting her. The motion is practiced even with the way each movement makes Usagi sag more into himself. Many nights spent comforting a crying infant means the two know how to fall into the motions without really needing to think. 

It takes Leonardo a moment to finally look at their surroundings, mask-less eyes widening. “Usagi- this…” Usagi grows more serious at his husband’s dropped sentence, holding Hiroko close as he stepped back cursing his luck at losing his short sword. He motions for the rabbit to stay, disappearing into the shadows. Usagi tenses again, settling back on alert, hand settling on the grip of his katana tucking Hiroko against his chest defensively.

Leonardo returns after a few heavy minutes of silence. “This, this isn’t the lair. Not my family’s lair. I think we ended up in a different lair altogether. No one is here but us. No security system, no real locked doors.” He had taken the time to check each room. It was invasive, yes, but he would rather be thorough than be surprised.

“Another earth?” Usagi’s red eyes flick across the darkened lair, only a few lights are left on. His eyes are still adjusting from the darkness of the woods. His hand dropped from his side to shift his hold on their daughter.

“Maybe earth four?” The turtle doesn’t seem particularly sure. He dragged a hand down his face, he knew he smelt like blood, ashes, and dirt at this point. He could only guess at what he looked like. “This is, the worst day possible so far and it hadn’t even started yet.” He dragged a hand down his face, knowing better than to ask how it could get worse. 

“Worse than when your brothers tried to give you one of those ‘bachelor parties’?” Usagi clearly had to think on the last word in English but seemed decidedly amused to bring it up. “You did proclaim that bachelor party was the worst day of your life. More than a few times.” 

The out of left field suggestion stunned Leonardo into silence before he started laughing. The laughter was relieved and strained in equal measure. The pressure of the rest of the night easing as Leonardo smiled at the rabbit wryly. “You’re really going to bring that up now? Of all the times to bring it up?”

“We needed the levity, besides, I do find that one of the more amusing tales you’ve woven for me. Better to dwell upon than the bloodshed of earlier.” He mused as he rocked their daughter in his arms, helping the small rabbit start to unwind from her fussing. Neither had the time to really dwell on the carnage of their home. “I did not think your brothers would go as far as they did.” 

“The less we think on that the better.” Leonardo answered with a shake of his head and shift to lean into the samurai. The two warriors take quiet comfort in the other's presence. They both needed to leave, soon, but a respite was in order. 

The two stood wordlessly together, listening to their daughter’s sniffling for a bit longer before Usagi spoke. “We must go soon, Leonardo. We don’t know how this could go.” Neither were up for the possibility of another fight. 

“We need to settle Hiroko soon with your brothers, and I need to go back for my blade.” Usagi’s expression hardens at thought of his blade’s fate. Last time he had lost his wakizashi, Usagi had run through a burning building to grab it.

“Yes.” The turtle stood up now, growing somber and serious once again. Usagi leaving his wakizashi behind was an added blow to the nights' affairs. The fact Usagi hadn’t mourned it already lay in the fact they had priorities that outweighed the Samurai's own soul. “We don’t know anything about- this place. We can’t stay. Even if it is home to some… variation of my family, we can’t just stay.”

“I will write the runes this time. My hand is steadier.” Usagi had always had more practice with the runes and chant.

Leonardo reaches for the chalk when he pauses. He mimes waiting for a moment before drifting to the front of the lair. Even the rush of waters that came with living in the sewers, Leonardo could pick out anything out of the ordinary. He stood near the doorway for a moment, listening before he spoke softly. The distant splashes were hard to miss, much less the murmur of conversation carrying down through the tunnels. 

“I think they’re coming back.” 

Usagi muttered lowly in Japanese, shaking his head in some frustration. Things were never easy. “We best meet them then.” He stepped forward before Leonardo motioned him to stop. 

“If we walk out of their home in front of them, I’m sure that will lead to a fight.” If strangers had emerged from his home bloodied and battered Leonardo knew he would have reacted poorly himself. The secrecy of the lair was of utmost importance. 

“Being in their home is not any better.” The samurai countered dryly as he watched his spouse linger at the door before coming back over to the back of the lair they had stumbled into.

The ninja wrinkled his beak, clearly not happy with either option. “We’re between a rock and a hard place. The best we can do now is wait here.” Leonardo fished the chalk from his sleeve, passing it to Usagi. “Just in case.” Usagi would laugh if the situation wasn't as dire.

\---  
The idle chatter of his family a few steps behind him made the old rat chuckle lowly to himself. The talk of the pizza gyoza and victories had in the past few months easily bolstered the group of teenagers. 

Splinter himself couldn’t deny it gave him a sense of pride. His sons had grown so quickly already, had seen the world above and made strong friendships. It heartened the mutant rat to know his family was growing in its own way. His thoughts were only disturbed by a particularly loud, fairly disgusting belch. If they had not been underground, the ninja master was certain the world would have shaken with it.

“Michelangelo-“ He turned to face the group of teenagers, their faces ranged from disgust, confusion, amusement and outright encouragement from a few. Raphael and Casey, in particular, seemed on the verge of joining the orange-clad ninja in burping up a storm. 

“Heh… sorry, Sensei.” The youngest of the teenagers at least looked abashed, rubbing the back of his neck with a laugh. 

“C’mon, Sensei it ain’t that bad!” Raph threw back, smirking a little now. 

“It wasn’t bad, it was utterly heinous.” Donny groaned with a disgusted sneer, flapping his hand through the air to try and dispel the smell. 

Splinter held a hand up, quelling any further complaints or suggestions. “Enough. My sons, Ms. O’Neil, Mr. Jones. Let us save further… merriment for home. Particularly when I am out of range of the smell.” 

A chorus of ‘Yes sensei!’ ‘Yes Master Splinter!’ followed suit, along with a high five between the three offenders when they thought the rat wasn’t looking. 

“Kids.” He chuckled lowly to himself as he started to walk again, turning the bend, then the next to their home. The familiar long-abandoned subway turnstiles were a relief to see. Any journey to the surface was always one with the possibility of danger. Home was safe, home was familiar. 

Home, was somehow wrong. 

He passed through the turnstiles, whiskers flicking as he eyed the lair. “Yame.” He stated cooly, quietly. The command in his word stilled the teenagers behind him. Splinter could feel them tense, a few quick to reach for their weapons or share a look amongst themselves. 

“Sensei-?” The eldest of his sons spoke up, hand drifting to the grip of his katana to pull it from its scabbard. 

“Hush.” He waved the group silent. The command in his tone kept the group steady for now. 

They were not alone.

Splinter strode forward, eying the darkness, “Speak, we mean you no harm, but we demand to know who and why you are here. You are in our home, it is wise you choose your words carefully.” 

The lull of silence that fell only made the teenagers restless. Only April was still as Splinter was, tenssen steady in her grasp. She felt the intruders as much as Splinter himself did. 

“Sensei-“ 

“Yame.” Splinter repeated sharply, motioning stillness. He didn’t dare look back at them, not now. 

From the shadows stepped a turtle garbed in white, a tattered juban stained with blood, ashes, dirt, and grass. He wore scabbarded katana’s over the tattered remains of his clothes. A blue mask wrapped around his wrist was stained just as red. His dark brown eyes were serious, taking in the group cautiously. He was measuring them up in a way Splinter knew came from years of battle. A ninja taking in a possible threat. The scars Splinter could flick out on bared skin showed the man had lived through much.

The sight of the other turtle earned gasps from the teenagers, shock rippling through them as Splinter stood a little taller, a barrier between his sons and the intruder. The man before him left Splinter reeling, but he could not show it. It could easily be a trick. A mutant made by Shredder. The clan's enemies were numerous in this day in age as were their friends. He wouldn’t put his sons at risk lightly. 

“My apologies for coming into your home.” The turtle spoke in old, very old sounding Japanese, before shaking his head, switching to english. “We- I intended to end up elsewhere. I am Leonardo Hamato.” 

The name was enough to cause a ruckus behind Splinter, the teenagers erupting all at once.

“Woah!”

“What the heck?” 

“Woooah Leo, its old man you! Future Leo!” 

“Why’s he in a nightie?” 

“You-“ 

“Yame!” Splinter practically barked the word now, silencing everyone all at once. The teenagers winced, grimaced and awkwardly shuffled back. Splinter hated to use that tone with the children, but he wanted to be sure of their safety. Excitement, if there was any to be had, could wait.

The reaction does draw a smile from the older turtle, fondness, and warmth as he eyes the teenagers. “If you have questions, I will answer them. I’m not from the future.” He corrects Mikey’s assessment gently with some amusement. 

The reaction of fondness, genuine fondness at that eases the mutant rat. “Where do you come from?” 

“Earth 3 originally.” Leonardo supplies lightly, “A different dimension. I accidentally found my way here. I miswrote the runes I usually use.” He bowed deeply to the family. The gesture very practiced given the smoothness of it. “Forgive my intrusion into your home.” 

“You said 'we' earlier, who else is with you?” Splinter sighed as Donatello cut in. The tallest of the teenagers stepping forward to eye the turtle skeptically. He was on guard, curious but learned wariness from battles fought thus far. Donatello's attention to detail was quick to pick out anything amiss. 

“Miyamoto Usagi.” He motioned with a hand and a rabbit stepped forward. The rabbit was garbed more fully, in traditional clothes befitting a samurai of the Edo period. He wore clan mon upon his chest Splinter couldn't identify. Sheathed weapons hung from his hip. In his arms, he held a small bundle, a baby given the soft sounds it made. A white rabbit face with brown splotches in the child’s fur peeked out at them. Bright brown eyes took them in curiously as the girl held onto the older rabbit’s finger. 

“Dude, that is… the cutest wittlest baby in the world!” Michelangelo was already moving forward before Splinter stopped him with a motion of his hand. He could tell his sons and daughter were creeping forward to get a better look at the intruders possibly turned guests. 

The rabbit laughed at that, looking to the older turtle. “I distinctly remember your brother saying the same.” He spoke accented English, but practiced English given the way he spoke.

Leonardo sighed at that, “As long as he doesn’t pinch her cheeks, its fine.” The comment just made the rabbit laugh once more and agree with the turtle warmly, "We wouldn't want another biting incident."

Usagi’s words set the teenagers off again. Questions quick to flow from them. “Do babies even have teeth-?” 

“Maybe rabbit babies do?“ 

“But like, are they mutants?”

Splinter sighed openly, turning to face the teenagers. “Hush.” Clearly, this conversation wasn’t going to get any further with teenagers around. “My sons, April, Mr. Jones, all had a long evening if you intend on staying please make yourselves comfortable here.” He motioned at the pit that functioned as their living room. “Particularly you April, Mr. Jones, I know you both have school tomorrow.” 

“Yeah-“ April sighed, tessen long since been closed and tucked away as she rubbed at her cheek. Casey rolls his eyes, “Meh, school.” But doesn’t persist in his protest. 

“Would you two please come with me, I wish to speak to you privately.” These two felt genuine, but- he wanted a full story from them. 

Leonardo nodded, “Yes, of course.” 

“Splinter-San. I do not wish to impose, but- would we be able to feed Hiroko?” The samurai speaks respectfully, clearly regretful to impose any further. Splinter can see the familiarity in how Usagi addresses him there, but manners overrule much else. “We have, just the clothes on our backs at this moment. I couldn't grab anything for her.” 

The mutant rat’s gaze falls upon the infant. The infant’s eyes are red ringed, clearly, she’s been crying before they arrived. The rat feels himself softening, it has been years since he’s seen a babe of this age. His thoughts drift to Miwa, to his sons. He remembered similar nights of being on his feet with an infant. “Certainly, has she moved onto solids yet?” 

“Some, we’ve been feeding her rice porridge with her milk.” The rabbit smiles down at the infant in his grasp. 

“I’ll grab you some milk and leftover rice. Why don’t you talk to them, Sensei?” The teenaged Leo offers a bit too quickly. The older ninja finally glances back at him, curious. 

“Thank you, my son.” Splinter smiles slightly back before glancing back at the samurai and the ninja before him. “Please follow me, we’ll speak in the Dojo.” 

The two follow Splinter easily, leaving the group of teenagers in their wake. Even with the weariness in their body language, Leonardo and Usagi carry themselves calmly. The baby in the rabbit’s grasp whimpers, only to be calmed by both rabbit and turtle offering soothing sounds.


	3. If you get sleep or if you get none

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah, yeah.” He exhaled, leaving the room huffily. He crossed his arms over his chest, still mildly annoyed by the comparisons between himself and the possible Krang. 
> 
> “I’m not lame.” He grumbled aloud to himself as he popped open the fridge to dig around. “He’s lame. I mean… his form is probably way off. He’s also probably settled down with a dumb baby doing… uncle stuff. Changing diapers instead of fighting ninjas…” He grabbed the plastic container of rice, along with the milk jug, awkwardly balancing both in his arms as he closed the fridge with his shell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for your kind reviews! It really helped me get back into the groove of finishing this chapter. Hopefully, the arguing teens and fluff between Leo & Usagi make up for the delay!

Chimes rang in the breeze, clattering together and ringing through the night air. They only grew louder as the breeze picked up, carrying the scent of spring in its wake. Mikey stretched out with a groan as he blinked awake, sparing the chimes hanging from the porch a side glance. 

He rubbed at his maskless eyes, sitting up slowly. “Ugh. How long was I out?” 

“Pretty long, bonehead.” Raphael smirked as he leaned against the farmhouse's front porch doorway. “You slept through dinner.” 

The usually orange-clad turtle huffed back at that, flopping back into the hammock almost lazily. “Ughhh, did you guys eat everything?” 

“Unlike you, we aren’t living black holes. Though Trax was real intent on eating everything.” He reached out to flick Mikey’s snout, the gesture was playful opposed to aggressive. Age made a decent difference in how the two interacted. “Glad you’re up though, I think we got a situation on our hands.”

Mikey wrinkled his snout both at the flick and news. “Please don’t tell me Leo found another baby.” 

“Sensei would be thrilled, but no, no baby. We got a text from a different dimension.” 

Mikey paused for a long moment, “What.” 

“Trust me, its weird. It’s in Japanese, so, Donny is figuring its one of Usagi’s friends. Came from Leo’s phone though, so either Gen is trying to prank us again, or it is important.” 

“Right, Donny like… gave Leo wifi-?” Mikey sat back up, moving to carefully get out of the hammock. “Magic wifi?” 

“Kinda. I dunno the specifics. I’d rather not fall asleep finding out.” Raphael shrugged casually, motioning for his baby brother to follow him inside. 

The house is full just this once, which meant the text from another dimension was going to be hotly debated. Mikey could already hear April and Donny talking animatedly about it. 

——

“Okay, so- we’re being cut out of this conversation entirely?” Raph questions once the dojo shoji slides shut with a snap. The lair is silent beyond the sounds of rushing water overhead and just outside of the hideout itself. “Kinda bogus considerin’ its _our_ house too these two stumbled into.” 

“Yeah! I wanna know more about Cooler Leo.” Mikey chimes in readily, practically bouncing in place. He clasps his hands together in genuine glee. “Another dimension? Can you believe it!?” 

Leo shoots his youngest sibling a look, defensively crossing his arms over his chest. “Do not call him that. Did you see him, he- was not cooler than me.” 

Leo’s pouty protests are ignored by the rest of the teenagers as Donny speaks up. “The real question is _how _they can travel dimensions.” Donny just rubs his chin thoughtfully, tongue flicking against the gap between his teeth. “Dimension travel is not an easy thing..”__

__April settles a hand against her hip eying the dojo shoji door warily. “Donny has a point, the only ones we know who can travel dimension wise is the Krang.”_ _

__“Hey, if they’re krang, we can bust their heads easy.” Casey shrugs carelessly, grinning wide enough to show his missing teeth now. “Can’t let them tell nobody where the lair is after all.” Casey cocked his head to one side, his grin widening to an unnerving degree. “Sides, we missed a chance to bust heads so… would be nice to get some energy out.”_ _

__“We’ll let sensei see if their motives are true,” Leo stated calmly, trying to look serious, only wilting a little when his brothers laughed at him. He was just trying to prevent bloodshed here, really! He was not at all vaguely jealous of this other turtle. “Fine. We’ll… listen in as well. I should get the milk…”_ _

__“Don’t forget the rice, Lamenardo.” Raph threw in with a smirk, eliciting a laugh from Casey. The two elbowed one another, which eventually turned into idle swapped punches. Whilst April rolled her eyes muttering something about boys under her breath. Leo just shot his brother a withering look, half tempted to smack him but restraining himself. Starting a fist fight was tempting, but wasn’t going to help anyone learn anything._ _

__“Good thing sensei had a hankering for rice.” Mikey offered with a roll of his shoulders, thinking for a moment about what else they had in their fridge. “I think it’s on the bottom shelf, under the packed up tapioca pudding Raph made!”_ _

__“Yeah, yeah.” He exhaled, leaving the room huffily. He crossed his arms over his chest, still mildly annoyed by the comparisons between himself and the possible Krang._ _

__“I’m not lame.” He grumbled aloud to himself as he popped open the fridge to dig around. “He’s lame. I mean… his form is probably way off. He’s also probably settled down with a dumb baby doing… uncle stuff. Changing diapers instead of fighting ninjas…” He grabbed the plastic container of rice, along with the milk jug, awkwardly balancing both in his arms as he closed the fridge with his shell._ _

__He plopped both onto the kitchen counter, quick to grab a bowl and combine everything. The sooner he got back the better. He grabbed a wooden tray, placing the bowl and a spoon on it before leaving the kitchen._ _

__By the time Leonardo returned with milk mixed with the unseasoned rice on a tray, he found everyone huddling nearby the shoji doors. The huddling was not at all covert given the nature of what they were doing. Casey was almost pressing his ear against the door at this rate._ _

__‘ _Amateurs, all of them_.’ He grumbled in his on head before shooing everyone away so he could approach the shoji door without their father realizing they had been listening in. He’d get the briefing from everyone else in a bit. “Sensei, I’ve found the rice and milk. May I come in?” _ _

__His siblings and April awkwardly skittered away, dragging Casey in their wake.  
—— _ _

__“We thank you again for your time.” Usagi bowed deeply, deeply enough his nose was nearly touching the floor. Leonardo was bowing, only marginally less given he was cradling a baby. “We’ve rudely intruded upon your home.”_ _

__“What I can see is it is a dire enough situation to warrant intrusion.” Splinter stated simply, motioning for Usagi to rise from his bow. The motion was enough for the rabbit to slowly settle into a semi-relaxed position. Barely. It spoke of training far beyond what Splinter had done with his own sons. Training of a highly disciplined warrior._ _

__A samurai in a den of ninjas. Married to a ninja. Peculiar._ _

__“Please, tell me what has caused you two to flee here, even if it is accidentally to some degree.” Splinter eyed the two, still finding it surreal to see an echo of his son, but just… so drastically different. A different man molded by different, but similar circumstances. Even with the remains of the juban, Splinter could pick out old scars on the young man’s skin._ _

__Leonardo and Usagi shared a brief look before the turtle spoke. His cadence was clear, confident, but equally tired in the moment. Both men seemed drained, but kept themselves aloft out pure stubbornness._ _

__The events of the night the two experienced made the ninja master wince internally. He stayed silent outwardly, intent to listen. Usagi would only interject once or twice to support his partner’s words, only truly interrupting to take the girl from Leonardo to gently bounce her to try and settle the fussing._ _

__“Hush little flower.” Usagi murmured against her head, “Soon, you can eat.”_ _

__His own son’s voice cut into the explanation, “Sensei, I’ve found the rice and milk. May I come in?”_ _

__“Please, my son. Your timing is impeccable.” Splinter exhaled, sitting up a little on his part. “You may enter.”_ _

__The teenager carried in a tray, stepping over the threshold and into his father’s room. Splinter motions for his son to place the tray down next to Usagi. The rabbit spared the teenager a grateful smile, settling the infant in his lap carefully._ _

__“Thank you Leonardo-san.” The rabbit gave the teenager a smile, making the younger ninja fluster. The teenager certainly wasn’t sure what to do in response to the samurai. “Haha- its no problem. You have your baby, you have to feed her after all.”_ _

__The older turtle’s lips curl into an amused smile, “We appreciate it, regardless.” The teenager nodded awkwardly, hesitating openly before departing the room in a quick shuffle. He snaps the shoji shut behind him._ _

__“Now if that doesn't make me nostalgic...” Usagi stated idly back, earning a genuine laugh from the older turtle. He shakes his head, covering his eyes with a hand as he laughs. “Just feed the baby, long ears.” He reaches out to flick one of Usagi's ears. The two sharing an unspoken joke between themselves. Splinter had a fair idea of what it was._ _

__Splinter arches a brow curiously, “I can assume you two have been married for a long time, correct?”_ _

__Leonardo smiles at him now, “A few years.”_ _

__The shoji snaps open dramatically, several teenagers dog piling in the doorway, Leo standing amongst them wide eyed and paler than before. “Married!?” That is followed by a volley of questions, loud questions._ _

__The loud disruption startles the baby, who begins to cry._ _

__Splinter drags a hand down his face before he rises, “Yame!” His voice is enough to make the teenagers go silent. Leonardo and Usagi awkwardly sit a little closer together, forming a would be wall in front of their child._ _

__This was going to be a long night._ _

__——_ _

__Leonardo exhaled as he leaned into the hot water, splashing it on his face as he washed away the grime of the night. Whilst a bath was tempting, he knew a shower was the best he could manage now. The baby needed a bath more than he did._ _

__He was just fussing over any missed spots on his shell and face. He leaned against the edge of the sink with a tired sound. He leaned forward that his snout was under the tap, water rushing over his face._ _

__All he wanted to do was dive into a deep body of water and float._ _

__“I’d advise you to be careful under the water, but- you are a turtle.” Usagi mused from where he sat on the rim of the tub, drying off Hiroko. The infant kicked her legs out, gurgling loudly. She was still very tired, but a meal and bath had certainly made her less fussy. Even with the wreck that was several teenagers yelling questions all at once and nearly breaking a shoji screen._ _

__Leonardo pulled back, chuckling. “If I drowned under the tap, you’d have permission to make fun of me forever.” He grabbed an extra towel to dry his face off, working on his snout and face, moving to make sure he was clean as he wanted to be._ _

__“I’ll remember that.” The rabbit bounced the infant in his grasp gently, moving to swaddle her. Leonardo carefully picked up any loose towels, moving to place them in the hamper by the door. Once he was done he drifted over to take Hiroko from Usagi, so the rabbit could dress himself. He dipped in to gently nuzzle the infant, nosing at her head with a soft sound. The infant closed her eyes, content for the attention._ _

__“I’m going to feel naked until we find something I can wear.” The turtle sighed lightly as he pulled back from cuddling their daughter. “I blame you.”_ _

__“It is not my fault you lost your taste for near constant nudity.” The samurai threw back casually as he dressed himself. Even if they were just going to bed in a few moments, he wasn’t about to be underdressed around anyone but his spouse. Leonardo stole a quick peck before heading towards the bathroom door._ _

__The two emerged from the bathroom, Leonardo leading the way down the stairs, towards the dojo. The Lair itself was quiet, even with the teenagers all crashed in the pit that made up the living room. Leonardo wasn’t about to believe they were asleep just yet, wary after the attempt at twenty questions. Splinter stood by the dojo doors, leaning against his cane idly. He spoke softly, “I’ve set up the bedding for you. Please rest yourselves.”_ _

__Leonardo was mildly relieved to see the bedding laid out. He offered the rat a smile, “Thank you.”_ _

__The rat waved off the thanks, “Your rest will be thanks enough, now shoo.” He motioned the two into the dojo, closing the door behind them._ _


End file.
